Elevator system.



J. W. MABBS.

ELEVATOR SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED DEG.6.1909.

1,001,870. Patented Aug. 29, 1911.

fo o 2 Q02 C7 (LT 15 4, n. Ime/l? 'UNiTED STATES, Parana? OFFICE.

JOHN W. MABBS, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

'ELEVATOR SYSTEM.

To alt' whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN lV. Manns, a citizen of the United States, residingat Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, ha''e invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevator Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in elevator systems, and has for its object to provide an elevator system whereby a plurality of elevators may be operated in a single shaft with safety, and with practical elimination of all possibility7 of cars oppositely traveling in the common shaftmeeting in tr nsit. y

Another object of my invention is to provide a simple and effective system of mtercontrol of the cars and their motor parts, and. other and further oblieets will become apparent to those skilled in the` art from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein I have illustrated in a single View a diagrammatic embodiment of my invention.

In the drawing, A1 and A2 indicate two cars, typical of a suitable plurality of ears,

arranged to travel, in partat'least, thesame path in a common shaft, S, and B1 and B2 indicate corresponding counterweight motors connected with and actuating the cars each substantially in accordance with my prior Patent No. 657,782, -dated Sept. 11, 1900, said motors being arranged for cooperation with a single racked track, T, likewise to travel, in part, the same path. The lower iiiotor, B, is connected with the upper car, A1, and, vice versa, the cables of car No. 2 (A2). being therefore arranged to run up the sides of `the shaft to run over independent pulleys,

"C2, and thence, preferably, in order to secure two-to-one gearing of the motors relative to the cars, over a common guiding sheave, D2, around the sheavc of the motor B2, and back to a point of support, E2, at the top of the motor shaft. Car No. 1 has its cables similarly run except that its cables may be connected cent-rally to the top of the car, and fart-hes' that the sheave of` the motor B1 is of greater diameterthan that of the upper motor B2, so that the cables `clear the upper motor.

This arrangementbroadly, providing" the combination of 'a plurality of cars traveling in a single path and alike plurality of counterweights re- Specication of'Iietters Patent.

Application led December 6, 1909.

Patented Aue'. 29, ,1911.

serial No. 531,596.

spectively therefor (preferably inthe form of motors) traveling in a singlepath, with the counterweights arranged so that adjacent structures approach each other as their cars approacheach other, I claim as a new and useful invention. It will be obvious that the arrangement of the counterweights, preferably in the form of electric motors for driving the ears, may be such that the adjacent eounterweights will meet in transit before their cars could possibly come into collision. Therefore, the strueture'lflis such that collision between the cars is a physi -al impossibility, irrespective |of any safety stops, or the like, as long as the cables and eounterweights remain intact, the result of overruuning of the cars in opposite dircctions being a collision between the counterweight motors` 'and not between the cars themselves. To minimize the possible ett'ect of collision between the motors, a suitable butter, B3, is arranged ;on one motor for presentation toward the other. My system provides, however, automatic safe `guards against collision of the motors. and means to this end I have schematically shown and will describe.

rlhe motor parts of the counterweight motors, typified by the commutators, -bl and b, have connect-ions for control from the cars. Specifically, said commutators are connected by wire couples, e1 and c2, with the stationary contacts of the corresponding reversing switches, El and E2, the movable blades of which are respectively connected to the positive and negative wires, Sand' G, of a feed circ-uit. Electroresponsive, or other convenient form of -operating mechanisms for the reversing switches, E1 and E?, are controllablerespectively from the cars' A1 and A2, and the cars need have no other operating paraphernalia connected therewith or with their shafts, the safety devices, being preferably, for convenience of Wiring, accessibility, etc., associated with the motors.

For convenient' illustration, each reversing switch is shown as connected with opposing cont-rolling solenoids, one an upsolenoid, 8, for throwing the switch in such direction that the motor will propel the car upward, and the other a. downsolenoid, 9, for reversing theconnections of the switch, thereby actuating the motor to vcause the car .to descend. It is to be understood that when neither' solenoid is energized, the switch stands in o en position, so that the motor is idle. nach ear has thereon a controlling switch, 10, having,` a movable arm, 11, arranged for contact with an upper contact, l2, for cutting into circuit the 11p-solenoid or with a lower oontact, 13, for cutting into circuit the down solenoid of the reversing switch appurtenant to such car.

To prevent the motors and consequently the cars from comingcloser together than some definitely safe distance, means are provided for disabling the motors from ap preach, controlled by the. proximitiY of the cars. To this end, `cireuit-breaking,- means for the proper controllingcircuit of the. reversingswitches are proiided in arrange i ment to open the'circuit oi the down-sole` noid o1 the upper cai; and the upsolenoid of the lower when the motors approach within a determinate distance of each other. Further, limitation stops may convenientlj,r be provided whereby the circuits of the upsolenoid of the upper car and the downsolenoid o the lower ear may he opened when their respective motors reach their prcdetermined coi-respondnei limits ot travel, thereby to prevent the said cars from nass i i ing their respective upper and lower limits of movement. And further, automatic means may be provided, iit desired ttor perh rnitting the cars to travel closer to each other at certain points in their travel than is i'iermall)T possible. Speeitic circuit: arrangements capable et attaining these ends are shown as follows: rllie controllinev switch upon the upper carril has new able Contact ll connected hy wire 11iv-i'h the positive wire o't the line, and its upper Contact l2 connected hy wire .lthrougli l iup-solenoid of the appropriate reierffling switch El to the nf ivo wire (l oi (he circuit, said wire inchiding a t. breaker, 1G, arranp .d to be opened h y an arm, i7', upon the counterweifdi for said ear, when said motor i eht-s a predeler' A lower limit oi' Vtravel ef'nrespoi'nh the hipju limit of liv-Jol el" the xl le controllingupon the upper ear it] is vonnected hy wi 'e Ln" with the. doiva-soleiioid il of the reversing switch and beyond said solenoid is connected with a wire lf) exhfmfliiwy to the negative wire (i elE the feed eircni: and

embodying` the switch Qt), arr: 1d to stand normally closed, but to he opened when the motors approach within a eert ain distance or' each other. F or simplicity, said switch 2O is shown as a spring opening` switch, norniallj7 held closed by a weight 2l, overbal aneingv the spring, but arranged to be re' eeived upon a platform 22 upon the lower motor when the motors approach within a release of the switch from the preponder.-

ance of the weight 2l, enables said switch to open under the eiort of its spring.

The controlling connections for the lower car are the reverse of those described, the Wire l5 for the 11p-solenoid circuit connecting to the wire 19, so that said upsolenord circuit is controlled by the auto matic switch 20, and the wire 18 ior the down-solenoid, directly bridging the feed circuit, hut including therein a eircuit breaking` switch lr6, arranged to be opened by an arm, 17, uporl the upper motor B2,

hen the latter reaches its upper limit ol2 travel.

New it will he apparent that when the switches on the ears are thrown in the position shown in the drawing, the lip-solenoid ot reversingswitch El receives current by a circuit, 5. lll, ll, l2, l5', 3, 1G", G, while similar-l5v tno dmvn-soleuoid of the reversing` switch ii'or ear A?, receives current. by circuit 5, 14, il, lf3, ltl, 1G, (d, (l, so that the reversing switches are oppositely thrown to cause motor No. l to run toward the bottom or' the shaltand raise its car No. l to the top of its sha'lt, while motor No. 2 runs toward the top of ils shall, and its ear runs toward the bottom oi' the shait. lll' hen either motor reaches its limit oi movement in such dirt-.etion, itepens its limitation switch, 1G or 1G, opening the previously--closed solenoid circuit o't the controlling switch of such uiotor, permitting,r 1Lhe reversing switch to go to neutral position ano stopping the progress ot the motor and s ear. When the hositionsl oi the conti-vl switches' l() are reversed lironi positions shown in the nruwine the niet' :x 'respectively run toward each ot .eig the down*solenoid o l car l l i i f i, and tile nosotr-noni ol car rm. t

current, thi-oo their rcspeetirc lll, 2th o, and 5, beth said circuits Lion et the autoieu the. motors apfilati* ico olj eulh other li'tod, the switch 2l.) hmia'iually, thereby inol servire the previolds ol.' both oars, and coni- 1 to eonie toa stand still. ln auton'iatic control might he who place when the cars were kldvratere distance olf two floors or more ot the huiltliog, hut such details' will, oi criiurse, be i'ijejdfiila'tM liv the peculiarities' o'E the installation. llf it is desired, however, that. the ears should be ahle to run closer together when hoth are at the bottom or top their flights than at other times oi their flights, provision may be made ,h v the installation of short circuitii'xg' switches 25 and 25, in similar circuit E2G and 2li, ar ranged to shunt the switch 20, the. ends of Ulli the wires 26 and /t being,r connecte to the wire 19 on opposite sides ot said switch E20, and the short-circuiting switches 2G and 2G being arranged respectively to be closed only when the upper motor No. -2 is at the top of its flight and the lower motor No. l is at the bottom of its flight. Thus when the c'ar No. 1 is at the top ot its shaft, or car No. 2 at itslower limit, the switch 20 is disabled to perform its function of cutting the solenoids, normallyfcontrolled thereby, out ot' circuit, and the car in tligh t may continue to approach closer to the car which is at its limit than is ordinarily possible. As a measure of safety, however, I prefer to provide limit switches 2T and 27 in the shunts 26 and 26, respectively arranged to be opened by the stops 17 and 17 of the motors` No. l and No. 2, when they are respectively at their upper and lower limits ot movement, so that, under the conditions previously described, where one car is at the extremity of the shaft. and the other car is approaching, lsaid second mentioned car cannot come closer to the stationary car than the next floor. It may also be provided that the motor B2 is just touched by the buffer B3 when the cars are. thus separated. It will be observed, however, that when the cars are stopped in flight by the opening .of their switch Q0, either car may recede from proximity to the other, as the down-solenoid of the lower car and the upsolenoid of the upper car are not in any hay affected by the switch Q0, and that suoli recession results in reclosing of switch 20.

It will be understood that in practice the upper car may run as an express trom the first fioorto the middle floor of the building and from there up as a local, while the lower car may travel locallyA between the basement and the middle ltloor of the building, the lower car dropping to the basement, while the express car stands at the first tloor to load, and the lower car taking on passengers while therexpress lcar is taking its express run to its first stop.

While I have herein described in some de tail a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that numerous changes might be made in the construction and details of the arrangement without .departure from the invention and within the scope ot the appended claims` v What I claim'is K 1. The combination of a plurality of clevatorfcars 'arranged to travel in vertical alinement. over a common path, counter- .weight structures therefor arranged tok7 travel inver-tical alinement over ay common bath. the counterweieht structures beine' l b arranged to travel in verticalalinement in the same path, counterweight structures therefor, arranged to travel in vertical alinement in another path, the counterweight. structures being arranged for relative approach and recession'in harmony with the relative approach and recession ot' the cars, said counter-weight structures being connected with their 'ars to maintain the cars separated when the counterweight structures meet in contact.

The combination ot' a plurality of eleator ars arranged to travel in vertical alincnient in the same path, counterweight motors arranged to travel in vertical alinemcnt in another path, the counterweight n'iotors' being arranged for relative approach and recession in harmony with the relative approach and recession of the cars,

and controlling means for each counter-- weight motor upon its respective car.

4. The combination ot' a plurality of cars arranged to travel in vertical alinement in the same path, cmlnterweight motors therefor, arranged to travel in vertical alinenicnt in another path, the counterweight motors being arranged tor relative approach and recession in harmony with the relative approach and recession of thel cars, said counterweight motors being connected with their cars to maintain the cars separated when the ctninterweight motors meet in contact, and controlling means upon cach car tor the respective counterweight motor.

The combimition ot a plurality ot'v clevator cars arranged to travel in vertical alincment in the same path, counterweightI structures there'tor arranged to travel in vertical alinement in another path, the counterweight structures being arranged for relative approach and recession in harmony with the relative approach and recession of the cars, said counterweight structures being connected with their cars to maintain the cars separated when the counterweight structures are in contact, and butling means interposed between said counterweight structures.

6. The combination of a plurality of elevator cars arranged to travel iii-vertical alinement in the same path, counter-weight electric motors therefor, arranged to travel in vertical alinement. in another path, the counterweight motors being arranged for relative approach and recession in harmony with the relative approach and recession of the cars, reversing meansl for each said counterweightmotor, and controlling means for each reversing means including a controlling switch on the appropriate car.

7. The combination ot a pluralityof elevator cars arranged to travel in vertical alinem'entover the ,same path, counterweight Amotors therefor arranged to travel in vertical alinement in' another path, the

counterweignt motors being arranged Afor relative approach and recession in harmony with the relative approach and recession of the cars, a switch for potentiating each of said counterweight motors to move its car either up or down, and switch-means for disabling the upper counterweight motor i'or upward movement and the lower motor for downward movement.,`operable respectively upon the approach of the upper motor to its top limit of travel and the lower motor to its bottom limit of travel.

S. The combination oit' a plurality of elevator cars arranged to travel in vertical alinement over the same path, counterweight electric motors theret'or arranged to travel in vertical alinement in another-path, the upper counterweight motor being associated with the lower car, and vice versa, a switch for controlling the operation of each said motor in either direction; and means, associated with the counterweight motors, operable upon predetermined proximity thereof, for disabling the upper counterweight motor for downward movement and the lower counterweight motor for upward movement. f

9. The combination of a plurality oit elevator carsarranged to travel `in vertical alinement over the same path, counterweight motors therefor arranged to tri vel in vertical alinement in another path, the counterweight motors being arranged lor relative approach and recession in harmonjr with relative approach and recession oit the ears. means operable upon i'nc-:leterinined proximity ot` the cars ior disabling the upper counttawvcight motor tor downward movement and the lower counteiwveight motor for upward movement, and means determinately operable to disable the tiret said means.

lo. The combination ot a plurality of eleitor cars arranged to travel `in vertical alifreinent` over the same path, counterweight eectric motors therefor arranged to travel in vertical aliuement in another path, the comitemvoight motors beingl arranged tor relative approach and receaaion in harmony with the relative appr ach and .recession ol' the cars. a Switch operable upon prflideter- :ined proximity oi the cars for disabling 'the ippcr coin'iterweight motor tor downward movement and thelowercountcvweight motor t'or npuf'ard movement., and means operable upon predetermined relation ot' the cars and Shaft for disabling the motor-disal'iling switch.

ll. The combination of a plurality ot' ele- I`vater oars arranged to tavel in vertical alinement over the same path,connterweigln electric motors arranged to travel 1n vertical alinement over another path, the counterweight motors being arranged for relative approach and recession in harmony with relative approach and recession of the cars, a switch for controlling the operation oi each motor in both directions, a switch operable upon predetermined proximity of the motora for disabling the motors for further approach, and4 means, operable upon the approach ot' the upper counterweight motor to its top limit of travel t'or disabling the motor-disabling switch.

l2. The combination ot' a plurality of elcvator cars arranged to travel in vertical alinement over the same path, counterweight electric motors arranged to travel in vertical alinement over another path, the counterweight motors being arranged for relative approach and recession in harmony with relative approach and recession of the cars, a switch for controlling the operation of each motor in either direction, a switch opcrable upon predctermiiied proximity oit the motors tor disablii'ig the motors for Afurther approach. and means operable upon the approach oi the upper connterweight motor to it'e/ top limit otl travel tor dis: bling the motor-dieabling switch, and meant,I tor disabling the last said means when the lower couliter-weight is within a l'ncdetermine(l distance t'rom the so-positionetfl upper counter-weight motor.

i3. The combination of a plurality ot elevator cars arranged to travel in vertical aliuement in a common path, counterweight motors therefor arranged to travel in vertical ahnement m another common path and arranged tor relative ai'iproach and reccas'sion in harmony with 'the relative approach and recession ot' their cars, and means tor -f'lisabling the motors from turther approach than a prcdcterm-ined distance trom cach other. arranged constantly to permit recession ot' the motors.

ift. ln an elevator, the combination ot' a shaft, two cars independently operabletherein either upward or down "ard either toward or trom each other,distancing mechanism to automatically prevent the approach ot the cars within a predetermined distance ot one another` means whereby when the lower car is at its lower limit ot travel Said d istancing mechanism will be automatically disabled. to allow the upper car to approach to a .shorter lnedetermiiied distance oi the lower car. and means to automatically prevent thc arn'roach ot the cars within said shorter predetermined distance.

in testimony whereof l hereunto set my hand in the presence ot' two witnesseS.

JOHN W. MABBS. in the presence oil- W. LINN ALLEN,

Bihar F. ALLEN.

litt 

